Airfare question

[Carol & Jim]

I was going to do a Transatlantic cruise but plans have changed and we are now just going to tour England and fly home. I have my air, one-way, from NYC to Heathrow so now I have to get air from Heathrow to NYC. One way fares have been running around $500 but today roundtrips are going for around $600. So, as we are planning to do the Transatlantic next August instead, can I buy a roundtrip ticket and for the return date use the latest date available which is March of 2011, and then change the return to August when that date becomes available? I know there is a penalty of around $152 USD, but do you think the new fare for August would be too high to be worth it and maybe we should just do two one-way tickets. Thanks for any help, airlines don't really want to help you with this question.

[6rugrats]

I was going to do a Transatlantic cruise but plans have changed and we are now just going to tour England and fly home. I have my air, one-way, from NYC to Heathrow so now I have to get air from Heathrow to NYC. One way fares have been running around $500 but today roundtrips are going for around $600. So, as we are planning to do the Transatlantic next August instead, can I buy a roundtrip ticket and for the return date use the latest date available which is March of 2011, and then change the return to August when that date becomes available? I know there is a penalty of around $152 USD, but do you think the new fare for August would be too high to be worth it and maybe we should just do two one-way tickets. Thanks for any help, airlines don't really want to help you with this question.

 

Next August, as in August 2011? Usually, when you change a ticket, you receive a voucher, minus any change fee, and you must use it within one year of the original purchase date, so don't think this will work for you.

 

Sorry, I have no way of know what will be the least expensive for you.

[Globaliser]

So, as we are planning to do the Transatlantic next August instead, can I buy a roundtrip ticket and for the return date use the latest date available which is March of 2011, and then change the return to August when that date becomes available?

I am not an airline fare rule expert, but I think that this may depend on some very geeky stuff about fare rules.

 

An airline ticket usually has a maximum validity of one year. To do what you want to do, you would get a ticket issued now, the maximum validity of which is May 2011. So your ticket would need to be reissued in August 2010 when you book your real return date.

 

The catch is that some fares on some airlines will allow you to date change within the validity of the ticket, but will not allow a date change that requires a ticket reissue.

 

I think that you either need to have a very honest conversation with an airline ticket agent about this, or go to a travel agent that is an expert in airline fares.

[6rugrats]

When I've changed a nonrefundable ticket, I have had to pay the change fee (it's been $150 for a domestic ticket and $250 for an international - varies with the airline). I then get a voucher for the remaining ticket value. The requirements for these vouchers have always been that they must be used within one year of the original ticketing date. You may have a different experience; I don't know your carrier or the fare details.

 

Strange things happen though. Last year I received a full refund for a nonrefundable ticket that was cancelled; no idea why that happened.

 

You certainly should ask an airline customer service rep about this. Then I advise you to call again and see if you get the same answer.

[greatam]

I was going to do a Transatlantic cruise but plans have changed and we are now just going to tour England and fly home. I have my air, one-way, from NYC to Heathrow so now I have to get air from Heathrow to NYC. One way fares have been running around $500 but today roundtrips are going for around $600. So, as we are planning to do the Transatlantic next August instead, can I buy a roundtrip ticket and for the return date use the latest date available which is March of 2011, and then change the return to August when that date becomes available? I know there is a penalty of around $152 USD, but do you think the new fare for August would be too high to be worth it and maybe we should just do two one-way tickets. Thanks for any help, airlines don't really want to help you with this question.

 

You may or may not be able to do this, per the fare rules of the ticket you purchase, per Globaliser's info.

 

BUT the upcharge for an August 2011 flight will most likely be significant. August is high season for Europe travel.

 

If it was my ticket, I sure wouldn't count on just paying the change fee (and most average about $2-250 for international tickets).

 

It may be cheaper to take the hit on the change fee NOW and book the RT. Then plan on a one way through various means for your transatlantic cruise. AT least NOW is a known price.

[greatam]

I then get a voucher for the remaining ticket value. The requirements for these vouchers have always been that they must be used within one year of the original ticketing date.

 

You get a voucher??? Is that on UA? That's pretty good.

 

AA just keeps the ticket in the computer. You call (sometimes have to pay the phone booking fee as well as the change fee). They take total cost of original ticket minus fees and tell you what you owe for the new ticket. And you MUST have the ticket NUMBER, not just the e ticket confirmation. So if you book AA online, MAKE SURE you print out the "money" receipt, as well as the e ticket. The receipt is the only place the entire ticket number is available.

[Fattony]

Yes, $250 sounds about right for changing an international ticket; I paid that amount last January to change my return date after I'd started my trip. But it depends on your exact fare class and even the airline(s). I agree that trying to extend the validity of your r.t. ticket to beyond a year could be problematic. You could be putting yourself into a whole new fare category and might not know the total price (and whether it's more than two one-way tickets) until next year. If the airline reps won't help, this could be a case where paying a few dollars extra to use a travel agent might be worthwhile, since they may well have had some experiences to help you.

[greatam]

If the airline reps won't help, this could be a case where paying a few dollars extra to use a travel agent might be worthwhile, since they may well have had some experiences to help you.

 

No one can tell what pricing in August 2011 will be. BUT June-August is high season in Europe and prices won't be cheap.

 

The $600 RT price quoted by the OP could very well turn into a $650-1000 upcharge -$250 for change fee, the balance difference in flight prices between now and August 2011. This August average price JFK to LHR is running about $1000.00 RT. Extrapolating those prices means there is $50 of value left on the original RT ticket after change fee. AT a bare, bare, bare minimum, I would expect to pay an additional $500 upcharge. AND that is only IF the original ticket can be used.

 

I think this is a VERY bad idea.

[6rugrats]

You get a voucher??? Is that on UA? That's pretty good.

 

AA just keeps the ticket in the computer. You call (sometimes have to pay the phone booking fee as well as the change fee). They take total cost of original ticket minus fees and tell you what you owe for the new ticket. And you MUST have the ticket NUMBER, not just the e ticket confirmation. So if you book AA online, MAKE SURE you print out the "money" receipt, as well as the e ticket. The receipt is the only place the entire ticket number is available.

 

Yes, I have received actual vouchers, but sometimes it just stays in their computer as a credit. I don't know why sometimes it's one way, and sometimes it's the other.

 

VERY good advice about keeping all the ticket information, as it sometimes "mysteriously" vanishes from the airline's computer.

[Carol & Jim]

Thank you all for the advise, I appreciate it. Think we will just book the one-way, Icelandic Air has a pretty good rate plus we can stop in Reykjavik for an overnite, maybe. That or Aer Lingus, both have an under $500 fare. Wish they weren't so many rules and regulations when booking airfare!!

[Globaliser]

Wish they weren't so many rules and regulations when booking airfare!!

That's the price of having access to air fares that are ridiculously cheap, as discount advance purchase tickets are now.

 

If you want to see what the air fare world might look like if there weren't rules and regulations, all you need to do is to price a fully-flexible ticket - then imagine what it would be like if that was the lowest priced ticket.